+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
DID YOU KNOW?
"Happy Birthday" was the first song to be performed in outer space, sung by the Apollo IX astronauts on March 8, 1969.
"No Strings Attached," the pop album released by the band N Sync in March 2000, sold a whopping 2.41 million copies its first week, breaking a record many in the industry believed would stand for years. Less than a year earlier in May 1999, the former record had been set by the Backstreet Boys "Millennium," when 1.13 million copies were sold in the initial week of release.
"Please Mr. Postman" has been a Number 1 hit on Billboard's record charts twice: the chart-topping versions were recorded by The Marvelettes in 1961 and The Carpenters in 1974.
The Coffee Cantata was written by Johann Sebastian Bach.
Broadway musicals come from operetta, which were introduced to New York in the early twentieth century by European composers.
The brass family of instruments include the trumpet, trombone, tuba, cornet, flügelhorn, French horn, saxhorn, and sousaphone. While they are usually made of brass today, in the past they were made of wood, horn, and glass.
The first percussion instrument introduced to the orchestra was the timpani -- or kettledrums -- in the 1600's.
The largest, most complicated musical instrument is the organ. It has been the primary instrument used in the church since the fourth century.
Through the mid-1500s in France, the lute was still the favorite instrument, but in 1555, Balthazar de Beujoyeux, the first famous violinist in history, brought a band of violinists to Catherine's de Médicis court and made violin music popular.
In Jalisco, Mexico, the harp was significant in the development of mariachi music, which originally featured only string instruments.
A fantasia is a piece of music in which the composition follows the fancy, rather than any conventional form, of an improvisational character.
A zarzuela is an operetta of a traditional type, with spoken dialogue and lyrical music. The word is derived from the Spanish after La Zarzuela, the royal palace near Madrid where the operetta was first performed in 1629. A zarzuela is also the name of a seafood stew.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
OPENINGS
Arrangements: American Flag posted, after the regular presentation of colors. House lights are dimmed, and flag is spot lighted. Narrator reads the following after the Pledge of Allegiance has been recited.
Narrator: "God Bless America" is a prayer that is in every heart. While the statesmen of the world are seeking paths to peace, we can ask ourselves
"What is the strength of America?" What are the secrets of our nation's power?
An agriculturalist might have you believe America's strength lies in its soil.
A merchant would say that a nation's power rests in its commerce.
A manufacturer might say that it is in technology, in machinery and in the skilled labor to operate plants to produce manufacturer's products.
A politician might contend that a nation's strength is in national policies.
An educator might declare that knowledge is a nation's power and that our country's greatness is in its learning.
A scientist would say that a nation's power is in science, in the products of the laboratory.
The military man most likely would insist that a nation is great according to its weapons and military strength.
But America's real strength is the character of her people. It took character to survive that first winter at Plymouth Rock and that other winter at Valley Forge. It took character to pack your things into a rickety wagon and push off into a land of vague promise and specific terror. It took character to tell a nation that slavery was wrong... to say that might is not right.
Because character is needed today more than ever before, the Boy Scouts of America is concerned more than ever about building strong character in boys. We want to guarantee that America is as strong in this space age as it was at it's birth.
Will you all please join me in singing "God Bless America"?
More Ideas
- This is a good time to allow your Scouts with musical talent to play/lead/sing an opening song, perhaps a patriotic one that will naturally lead into the Pledge of Allegiance.
- Have someone beat a drum as the flags are carried forward.
- Ask a trumpet/cornet player to play Taps for a closing; perhaps invite a Boy Scout to your meeting to who has this talent.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ADVANCEMENT CEREMONIES
Cub Scout Music Awards
Equipment: Make or buy some sort of statue to be given out with each award. Cubmaster may wish to wear a tuxedo or bow-tie. Flashlights. An envelope (to be used repeatedly).
Dim lights. Have Den Leaders or parents shine flashlights around the room, finally settling in a spotlight beam on the Cubmaster.
Cubmaster:
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Pack ____s Annual Music Awards night! This is the time when we honor the achievements of our musical (or perhaps not so musical!) members. Since I dont want to run overtime (and risk being pulled off the stage), lets get started!
The nominees for the Bobcat award are: (list names). (Then, with fanfare, open the envelope). And the winners are ALL of you! Please come forward with your parents to receive your awards. (Acknowledge achievements; give statues to boys and awards to parents to pin on their sons.)
(Repeat for Wolf and Bear Badges, arrow points, activity pins and Webelos badges.)
Ladies and gentlemen, we thank you for attending this evenings Cub Scout Music Awards. We are grateful for the services of _______________ & ______________ (two Den/Webelos Leader last names, perhaps) for their careful tabulation and for carefully guarding the names of our winners.
Congratulations to you all and keep up the excellent performance!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SKITS
Musical Toilet Seat Salesman
A scout is a door to door salesman, selling Musical Toilet Seats: If you have some cardboard make props like toilet seats. Salesman approaches each home knocks on the door and sells the seat:
Salesman: "Good morning sir, I like to show you the newest thing in electronic technology. My company has developed the new musical toilet seat. Would you be interested in buying this modern day marvel?"(ham this up, plead beg, etc. be a door to door salesman)
Customer 1: "Do you have one that plays Dixie?"
Customer 2: asked for "Eat the Rich" .
Customer 3: asked for "Star Spangled Banner"
Salesman, I sure do, here it is, and I hope you like it. I'll come back tomorrow to make sure you are satisfied."
The next day the Salesman goes back and asked of each customer: How did you like the musical toilet seat.
Customer 1: "It was great, it played Dixie and I sat there with a bucket of fried chicken enjoying each note.
Customer 2: "It was great. I listened and read a copy of the Rolling Stone magazine."
Customer 3: "I hated it, It just did not work out.
Salesman responds to Customer 3: "we have never had an unsatisfied customer, what went wrong?
Customer 3: Its that music. Every time I sit down on the toilet, it starts playing the Star Spangled Banner and I have to stand up again!"
Someone Chanted Evening
Props: Blankets and rope to make Monk's Cassock.
Friar: Good morning, everyone.
Monks: Good morning.
Friar: For our Matin, we are going to practice chanting. All together now, repeat after me: (Chanting) Morning, morning, mor-or-ning.
Monks: (Rather raggedly) Morning, morning, mor-or-ning.
Friar: Not bad, but we need to get more feeling and rhythm into it. Let's try again. (A couple more attempts are made, each one better, then on the third try it sounds excellent, but one Monk chants loud and clear, "Ev-en-ning".)
Friar: Cut, Cut! What was that?
Brother Daniel: What's wrong, Friar? I thought it sounded good.
Friar: (Breaking into song) someone Chanted Evening!
Musical Genius
The announcer makes a flowery introduction about how fortunate the audience is to have the opportunity to hear the splendid vocal group about to perform. After the introduction, the group marches onto stage and lines up across the front. The announcer states that their first number will be that appealing ballad "The Little Lost Sheep".
Following a short musical introduction, singers open their mouths and produce a long, loud "Baa-a-a".
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
RUN-ONS
DRAG: Have two boys drag a third boy across the stage. The third boy says: "What a drag!"
Radio Announcer: We interrupt this program for a spot announcement.
Dog (offstage): Arf! Arf! Arf!
Announcer: Thank you, Spot
Cub #1: Scientists believe that cavemen made the first music by banging stones together.
Cub #2: Gee, I guess that was the first rock music!
Cub #1: How do you think I played the trumpet?
Cub #2: You really blew it!
Cub #1: Why did Mozart sell his chickens?
Cub #2: I don't know, why?
Cub #1: They kept running around saying, Bach, Bach, Bach.
Cub #1: My upstairs are so loud. Last night, they kept banging on the floor.
Cub #2: Did they wake you?
Cub #1: No. I was awake. I was playing my tuba.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
APPLAUSES
Charge Applause:
Line up both fists in front of mouth (your horn), with one fist touching your lips, sing, Da-da-da-dat-da-dah!
Sing & Dance Cheer:
-
Stand up.
-
When the leader's hand is raised, everyone twists and shouts (or sings in full voice);
-
when the hand is lowered, all is silent (and perhaps frozen in dance position?)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SONGS
THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER
Oh! say can you see,
By the dawns early light,
What so proudly we hailed
At the twilights last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars,
Through the perilous fight,
Oer the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh! say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
Oer the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore, dimly seen
Thro the mist of the deep,
Where the foes haughty host
In dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze,
Oer the tower steep,
As it fitfully blows,
Half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the mornings first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
Tis the star-spangled banner.
Oh! long may it wave
Oer the land of the free and the home of the brave.
And where is that band
Who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battles confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
Oer the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Oh! thus be it ever,
When freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the wars desolation,
Blest with victry and peace,
May the Heavn-rescued land
Praise the Powr that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must,
For our cause it is just,
And this be our motto
In God is our trust.
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
Oer the land of the free, and the home of the brave.
I'd like to build the world a home
And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees and honey bees
And snow white turtle doves
I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to hold it in my arms
And keep it company
I'd like to see the world for once
All standing hand in hand
And hear them echo through the hills
For peace through-out the land
That's the song I hear
Let the world sing today
A song of peace that echoes on
And never goes away
I'd like to build the world a home
And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees and honey bees
And snow white turtle doves
I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to hold it in my arms
And keep it company
I'd like to see the world for once
All standing hand in hand
And hear them echo through the hills
For peace through out the land.
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord,
He is trampling out the vintage
Where the grapes of wrath are stored,
He has loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword,
His truth is marching on.
CHORUS:
Glory, Glory Hallelujah,
Glory, Glory Hallelujah,
Glory, Glory Hallelujah,
His truth is marching on.
He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat,
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgement seat.
Be swift my soul to answer him, be jubilant my feet,
Our God is marching on
CHORUS
In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in his bosom, That transfigures you and me,
As He died to make men Holy, let us die to make men free,
His truth is marching on.
CHORUS
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
WEB SITES
Childrens Music
http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Glade/7438/index.html#A-B-C
Music Room - read up on music history and listen to music samples from different periods.
http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano
